Neji's Sacrifice
by Wynter Hardy
Summary: Neji will do anything to get Koroshi back and Jashin offers him a solution. Will he take it? NejiOC. Some OOCness for Neji.


_**So, this is my first attempt at a sad fic. Let me know how it is!**_

**_Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. Koroshi, Yami, Yasei, and Amatsu belong to me._**

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_You're gone…There was no way I could save you. I don't want to believe it, but the evidence lies before me: your bloody, breathless body, chakra rods embedded in your back. You sacrificed yourself to help Nagato revive the village._

_You weren't heartless after all…_

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* * *

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Neji cradles the body of his lover Koroshi Uragiri as if she were still alive. The chakra rods tear his clothing and cut his skin, but it doesn't even register for the Hyuga. Nothing could compare to the pain in his heart. He closes her lifeless violet eyes, unaware of the tears falling from his own lavendar orbs. He hugs her tighter, praying for something, some miracle that will make his feisty lover come back to him. "Koro…Koro-chan…I-I'm h-holding you i-in…public," Neji chokes out, "y-you hate th-that…" More tears slide down the Hyuga's cheeks as he realizes there's no response from the girl. His arms are raw and bleeding from the chakra rods. It starts to rain and the blood runs into small rivers. Members of Koroshi's clan appear, but Neji refuses to release her body.

"Neji," Tenten sighs as Lee tries to pry his arms open, "you must let her go. The Uragiri have to prepare for the funeral." Neji's arms fall limply to his sides as Amatsu, Koroshi's cousin, takes her away.

* * *

_Tick…tock…tick…tock…The clocks are mocking me. I can't take it. The funeral is in three days, but that seems so far away. I haven't seen you since and I can't get the bloody images of your final moments out of my head. _

_Tick…tock…tick…tock…I want to tell you how much I love you and goodbye…_

* * *

Neji doesn't do any of his usual routine during the time before the funeral. He mostly sits in the Hyuga garden, staring at the plot filled with Koroshi's favorite flowers, lavendar foxglove. A memory flashes through his mind as he looks upon them one day.

_"I like these because they remind me of you!" She grinned. _

_"How so?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. _

_"Because they're lavendar, pretty…and deadly." She smirked at him, dropping the flowers in her hand and leaning in for a kiss. _

_"Like you. I love you, Neji." _

_"I love you too, Koroshi."_

A tear slides down his cheek and he reaches out to touch Koroshi's hand, but it's only an apparition and it fades away. "I wish my pain would disappear like that…" he thinks.

* * *

_The day is here. Oh Kami, I don't think I can handle this. I feel like I'm going to pass out. Stay calm, Neji. You've already shown enough emotion. At least put on a face for the village. You can break down at the private ceremony. Just hold it together for right now.

* * *

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Neji stares longingly at the green cursed seal on his forehead. Koroshi had always kissed it when it was bared, even when they were little kids. She said it looked cute, the way the green stood out on his pale skin. He ties his headband on before pulling his hair into its loose ponytail. He glances once more at hs reflection. His eyes, though a quite contrasting color, have the same somber look as his mourning clothes. He leaves for the village.

Almost all of the village shinobi have turned out for this. The crowd is huge and it takes the Byakugan to spot familiar faces. Of course, everyone recognizes the Hyuga prodigy and Koroshi's lover and moves out of his way. His eyes never leave the picture on top of the casket.

At the private clan ceremony, Neji notices the carefree, playful ambiance of the Uragiri is gone. There are no colorful banners, works of art, or children running around. The mood is both proud and sorrowful. After all, this is a clan who kills to please their god. The entire clan has gathered to mourn the loss of its heiress. Yami, Koroshi's younger brother, pulls him to the front row to sit with the head family. "But why?" he whispers to the younger boy. "Because you were her love and you're considered family by us." Yasei, Yami's twin, answers with a smile despite the situation. Neji manages a weak smile as well.

"Thank Kami that's over…" Neji thinks as he enters his room, physically exhausted and mentally drained. He sheds his clothes and crawls into bed.

* * *

_My dreams…all of them are about you, about us. I miss your smile, your expressions, your disregard of human safety, your warped sense of humor, the way we'd sit in the gardens and you'd brush my hair while we talked. All of it just seems so far in the past, distant memories dripping with pain…

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Neji takes a walk through the village a week after the funeral. The rest of the clan is still worried about him, but at least he's left the house. Neji soon begins to regret the decision. Everything in the village triggers some sort of memory. Naruto is at Ichiraku's, no surprise there. The jinchuriki calls to him. Against his usual character, he sits down next to the blond. Naruto slurps the rest of his ramen and turns to the Hyuga. "Neji, I'm really sorry. I mean, I don't really know what to say. This must be really hard for you…" Naruto scratches his nose nervously. Neji thanks him for the attempt at comfort and continues his walk.

He can't take any more of the sad memories and settles on top of the hokage monument. Another round of tears fall as this place holds one of his dearest memories, the first time they made love.

_"The stars look so pretty from here, Neji-kun. Anou…are you sure your uncle doesn't mind you being here?" Koroshi looked up at him with the sparkling violet eyes he loved so._

_He pulled her closer to him on the blanket. "He doesn't care. And the stars pale in comparison to your beauty, Koro-chan."_

_She lay back again, closing her eyes and resting a hand on her stomach. Neji copied her, folding his arms behind his head. He glanced at her profile, watching her chest rise and fall as she breathed, her lips parted slightly. He leaned over before gently placing his lips on hers. Her eyes fluttered as she returned the kiss, wrapping her hands around his waist. Neji's kisses traveled to her neck before he pulled open the first snap of her shirt. He stopped immediately when he saw what he'd done._

_Koroshi looked up at him worriedly. "What's wrong? You don't want to?" Neji sat up, blushing furiously. "No, I, um, I just wanted to know I wasn't crossing any lines." Koroshi smirked and opened her shirt the rest of the way. She took his hand and placed it on her breast. "You're not doing anything I don't want you to." Neji pushed her back down on the blanket again, continuing what he'd started._

Neji turned bright red thinking about it. He'd found out that not only was she a serious masochist, but he was one in his own right. He lightly fingers the scars from that night, turning an even deeper shade of red. He is ready to go home; subconsciously he doesn't want to see the stars come out. He turns to leave, but stops in his place.

A black-clan boy stands before the prodigy. It is amazing that he managed to sneak up on Neji. "Identify yourself." Neji commands weakly. At this point it doesn't matter to the broken Hyuga, he just doesn't care anymore. The boy's black spiky hair covers one of his eyes, but the one that is visible is violet like Koroshi's, Hidan's, and pretty much every other member of the Uragiri clan he's met. Two silver hoops dangle from his ears.

"I am Jashin-sama. Koroshi was a loyal, dedicated follower and I can't bear to see you suffer like this." Jashin smiles.

"Your point would be, Jashin-sama?" Neji's voice sounds dry and tired.

Jashin runs a hand through his hair. "My point is that I'm offering you a bargain."

Neji quirks an eyebrow. "Bargain?"

Jashin nods and pulls Koroshi's necklace from one of his pockets, holding it in his fist. "I am offering to bring her back for you."

Neji's eyes widen and he clutches at his heart, trying desperately to keep it at a normal pace. "Bring…her back? My-my Koro-chan? What do you demand in return for this?"

Jashin's carefree smile returns again. "I want you to sacrifice the person closest to you. Well, after Koroshi of course." Neji is silent so he continues, "Bring that person's body here in two days, draw my symbol upon the ground in their blood, and I shall take them in exchange for your lover, alive and well." Jashin turns his back and starts to fade. "Pick carefully Hyuga-san, I'll know if you're lying."

Neji stares at the necklace on the ground. He has a chance to bring her back to him.

* * *

_Oh Koroshi! I have a chance to see you again, to hear voice again, to feel your touch again! Praise Jashin-sama! I miss you so much, love, but I've got to make a big decision in a short amount of time. I have to sacrifice the person closest to me. But that's really hard. You're the only one I've truly let into my heart since Father died. Oh, but there must be someone who qualifies…

* * *

_

Neji thinks long and hard about whom to kill, all the while gazing dreamily at the pendant. There was Hinata, whom he'd grown closer to after the chunin exams, but he'd never get far without someone activating his seal. Tenten and Lee are the next options, but he can't fathom denying them each other and subjecting them to the pain he's in. Naruto is the last option, but he can't hurt Hinata like he's been hurt, losing his most cherished person.

Then it hits him on the day the sacrifice has to be made. He could have killed any of them, but he is making up excuses and choosing not to. None of them measure up to Koroshi and none of them can mend the hole in his heart. There is only option left. Neji waits until dark then pulls on a nice kimono and heads to the Uragiri compound, right to her meditation spot under the sweet ivy berry tree. He glances around with his byakugan to see if he's being followed. There is movement within the compound, but nothing indicates action.

Sighing, Neji picks a handful of the fruit and eats it, fully aware of its poisonous aspects. He takes his kunai and slices his palm open. Ushing the seeping blood, he draws the symbol and stands in it. Looking up at the moon, he sees Koroshi's reflection. Neji closes his eyes, whispers, "I love you, Koroshi Uragiri…", and punches the kunai into his throat. He reaches for the pendant on the grass, clutching it to his heart as his vision goes black.

* * *

_Koroshi, I just couldn't do it. I couldn't throw someone else's life away for my own selfish desires. But don't worry babe, I coming to you my way. Then we can be together for eternity, love…_

* * *

A foxglove plant sprouts next to him suddenly. He manages to turn his head enough to look at it before a final tear slides down his cheek and he dies with a smile.

~Owari~

**_So how was it? Was it kinda sad or more angsty? Please review!_**


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